Eddie Price recall, Mandeville, Louisiana, 2009

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In February 2009, a group of Mandeville residents abandoned a drive to recall Mayor Eddie Price.[1]

In August 2009, non-recalled Mayor Eddie Price was indicted by a St. Tammany Parish grand jury on charges that he committed perjury in his testimony in a 2008 criminal trial.[2]

Price ultimately resigned his position in 2009 a week before pleading guilty to federal corruption and tax evasion charges. In March 2010, Donald Villere was elected to fill the post made vacant by Price's resignation.[3]

Insufficient signatures

The recall group didn't gather enough signatures, falling well short of the amount needed for a recall. According to Mike O'Connor, president of the recall effort, said residents were either "too lazy, " "too ignorant" or "afraid to be castigated by those in their social circle."[4]

"Not all are afraid to stand up, but not enough did, " O'Connor said. "In a democracy, people get the government they deserve. This doesn't speak well of the city of Mandeville."[4]

O'Connor needed to get 2,363 signatures on the recall petition, or one-third of the city's 7,089 registered voters, by February 18, 2009 to force a recall election.[1] If the petition had been certified by the St. Tammany Parish registrar of voters, the decision to recall Price would have been put on the ballot for the next election.[1]

Price has ongoing state and federal criminal investigations looking into allegations of graft, nepotism and other concerns raised by a state audit. Police Chief Tom Buell was forced into early retirement, but Price stayed in office.[1]

Price resigns

On October 9, 2009, in light of the investigation and recall efforts, Price announced that he is resigning from the office of mayor. "Over the past year, the distractions have become a great burden to this city. It is important to me that the City of Mandeville move forward in a positive direction and have the representation it well deserves. So it is with great sadness that today I've made the decision to step down as mayor effective immediately," said Price.

A special election will be scheduled to choose a successor but in the mean time the city council is expected to nominate a temporary replacement.[5]